Blue star Lee Ryan is found guilty of racially aggravated assault of black female BA attendant who he told ‘I want your chocolate children’ after downing a bottle of port – then offering ‘her tickets for his next tour’ to say sorry
- Blue star Lee Ryan has been convicted of racially aggravated assault
- He told a black flight attendant ‘I want your chocolate children’ while drunk
- Ryan formed Blue in 2000 with Antony Costa, Duncan James and Simon Webbe
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Blue star Lee Ryan has been convicted of racially aggravated assault after telling a black flight attendant ‘I want your chocolate children’ after downing a bottle of port in the BA lounge before trying to kiss her and asking for an upgrade to business class.
The singer was ‘slurring his words and staggering around’ after drinking a whole bottle of port before a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport on July 31 last year.
After being refused more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, Ryan made comments about Leah Gordon’s looks, calling her a ‘chocolate cookie’ before grabbing her wrists.
The musician, 39, is married to Verity Paris, a singer thought to be about 32 who appeared on The X Factor in 2009 and now impersonates artists such as Ariana Grande, Jessie J, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera – but who stays away from the spotlight. Ryan has four children.
Ms Gordon told Ealing Magistrates’ Court that Ryan initially called her ‘beautiful’ and put his sunglasses on her face. She said: ‘He was making comments about my complexion, you’re my chocolate darling, my chocolate cookie, and I’m going to have your chocolate children.’
Ryan, who was tearful in the dock before giving evidence, told the court his actions were merely ‘playful’ and denied use of the word chocolate was racist.
Blue star Lee Ryan has been convicted of racially aggravated assault after telling a black flight attendant ‘I want your chocolate children’ after downing a bottle of port in the BA lounge before trying to kiss her and asking for an upgrade to business class
Footage emerged of the moment Ryan was removed from the British Airways flight at London City Airport by armed police before being arrested
The star was seen gathering his belongings as police escorted him off the plane
She went on: ‘It felt like he was saying I was beautiful for a black person because of the way he was describing my colour.’
Ryan formed boy band Blue in 2000 with Antony Costa, Duncan James and Simon Webbe. The group has sold some 14million records and had three Number 1 albums. Blue rounded off their latest UK tour, Heart and Soul, just before Christmas and are set to perform in a number of locations around the world later this year. Their biggest hits include All Rise, One Love and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word.
Ms Gordon said Ryan later approached her from behind, saying: ‘Before I get off this plane I need a kiss from you.’
After telling him to ‘stay away’, she said he grabbed both her wrists before passengers intervened.
She said: ‘He was towering over me, like he was leaning in to give me a kiss.’
Ms Gordon told the court: ‘He said to me ‘I want your chocolate children.”
She added: ‘I was intimidated, I felt a bit embarrassed like I wasn’t doing my duty properly. To get comments about my colour whether intentional or not, it was just unacceptable and so derogatory. I just felt like it wasn’t fair and I shouldn’t have to put up with it. I don’t go to work to be assaulted or harassed.’
Ryan, who was tearful in the dock before giving evidence, said he drank a whole bottle of port and ate cheese in the BA lounge after the flight was delayed.
The singer was ‘slurring his words and staggering around’ after drinking a whole bottle of port before a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport on July 31 last year
The singer spoke with police officers after he was taken off the plane
Ryan arriving at Ealing Magistrates’ Court in London
The singer, who became abusive to cabin crew when they refused to serve him alcohol, was arrested at London City Airport on suspicion of public order offences
Writing on the band’s Instagram account following the incident, the singer revealed he would be ‘seeking professional help’ for his mental health and will ‘take ownership’
He told the court of ‘annoying’ a passenger next to him by asking what book he was reading, with no recollection of what occurred after that.
The pop star went on: ‘I’m sorry. My band member is black, I’m not racist, I’ve had black girlfriends, mixed-race girlfriends. It was banter, just drunk banter I suppose, there was no malice or intention to upset anyone.’
He added: ‘I didn’t mean to cause any distress to anyone or be racist, it was just a poor choice of words I suppose.’
Ryan told the court his actions were merely ‘playful’ and denied the use of the word chocolate was racist.
He also claimed to have said ‘chocolate chip cookie’, adding: ‘They’re white, there was no malice in them (the comments).’
He added: ‘I am sorry that I touched her, but that’s all I did, touch her lightly, by her admission.’
He told police officers in an interview, read to the court: ‘I wish I could ring her up and apologise and offer her some Blue tickets for the next tour.’
Ryan arriving at Ealing Magistrates’ Court this morning
They claimed he tried to bite one of the officers after being arrested at the London airport, to which he replied: ‘I don’t remember that.’
Another flight attendant, who also gave evidence in court, said she was approached by Ryan shortly after the plane departed.
Jade Smith said: ‘He told me he had a problem, that he was being harassed by other passengers, that he was famous and asked did I know who he was.’
Ryan asked to be upgraded from economy to business class but was refused as the plane was full, it was said.
She said: ‘He was angry, saying he was a gold card holder and that he needed to be moved because of this.’
She noticed Ryan was ‘slurring his words and staggering around’ and cut him off from ordering alcohol, it was alleged.
Ryan followed her to the back of the plane and asked for another drink but was refused, she said.
He told her ‘stop being boring, let’s have a drink’, the court heard.
Source: Daily Mail UK
